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Today marks a historic day as we bring the major refurbishment programme to the 13 Proclaimed Fishing Harbours in the Western Cape to the value of over half a billion Rand to culmination. 

Today, Deputy Minister Noxolo Kiviet and I visited the Saldanha Bay harbour to inspect the recently completed infrastructure upgrades. 

The upgrades to the Saldanha Harbour forms part of a major refurbishment programme to the 13 Proclaimed Fishing Harbours in the Western Cape, completed by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) in March this year to the value of R501million. 

The following priority scope of work was completed at the respective harbours; removal of sunken vessels, dredging of the harbour basins, and repairs to slipways, shore crane replacements, security, civil and electrical infrastructure upgrades. 

The repairs and maintenance project was implemented at the following harbours in the Western Cape: Lamberts Bay, Laaiplek / Bergrivier Harbour, St Helena Bay, Saldanha Bay, Pepper Bay, Hout Bay, Kalk Bay, Gordons Bay, Hermanus, Gansbaai, Arniston, Struisbaai and Stilbaai.

The Small Harbours Repairs and Maintenance Programme is aimed at bringing the harbours to a greater level of efficiency to revitalize the local economy and to serve the local fishermen, tenants and surrounding communities.

Another key aim of the programme is to bring the harbours to a greater operational efficiency to assist the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to carry out their mandate effectively with the enabling infrastructure provided by DPWI.

The project also aims to boost investor confidence within the harbours and many existing tenants are looking to expand their operations coupled with a high appetite from new investors within the harbours which will assist the DPWI in its drive towards attracting private sector investment and revenue generation for the state. Ultimately the economic spin-offs of the repair and maintenance programme will allow for further job creation and local economic development surrounding the 13 PFHs along the Western Cape coastline. 

The works completed at Saldanha and Pepper Bay Harbours included work on the slipway infrastructure at Saldanha harbour, civil infrastructure as well as electrical infrastructure work both at Saldanha and Pepper Bay harbours.

Economic Empowerment and job creation:
The project at all 13 harbours in the Western Cape created a total of 925 jobs of which 500 jobs were youth and empowered local SMMEs to the value of over R116 million. The bulk of the SMMEs are Level 1/2 BBBEE companies and were vastly spread, ranging from Lamberts Bay in the upper West Coast all the way to the East Coast at Stillbaai 

Harbour covering all 13 harbours.
Around R98.6 million has been spent for the infrastructure upgrades work at the Saldanha Bay and Pepper Bay harbours. 

The Saldanha Bay harbour main contractors appointed SMMEs from the local community. The value of work contracted to SMMEs amounted to approximately R27 million. 

Plant equipment, small equipment and building materials were mainly sourced locally contributing to the local economic development of the Saldanha Bay area

The project has surpassed the planned 100 jobs for the three identified projects in Saldanha Bay and Pepper Bay Harbour with a total of 145 local residents benefitting from work opportunities for the project at Saldanha Bay and Pepper Bay projects.

The work completed at the Saldanha Bay harbour includes: 

Under land infrastructure (electrical) work package the contractor completed new installations and electrical connection installations in the security house, operations buildings and ablution facilities coupled with the automated access control into the harbour. These works include upgrading of the harbour entrance, the CCTV and security cameras around the harbour, street lighting, upgrades to electrical kiosks at the harbour jetties and the slipway for vessels repairs, and ticketing system for DFFE to generate revenue for the harbour.F

Within the Slipway Infrastructure Package, the contractor reassembled the main cradle, east and the west cradle, re-assembling the motor in the winch room, and full refurbishment of the building to full operation.

In the Land Infrastructure (civil) package, the contractor completed the cleaning of the existing waterlines as well as removing the existing asbestos buildings and roofs upgrades to existing buildings, ablution facilities and offices as well as the harbour winch rooms at Saldanha and Pepper Bay harbours. Upgrades to the existing compliance building/store also formed part of the scope of works.

Benefits of the infrastructure upgrades: 

The bulk of the work and budget has been allocated to the slip way infrastructure which will bring a great benefit to the local economy as the re-establishment of the Slipway capacity from 600 tonnes to 1 200 tonnes anticipates attracting business to the harbour and ensuring that the commercial use of the harbour is optimized while contributing toward higher revenue generation in the precinct.  

Upgraded electrical infrastructure allows for longer operating hours due to improved adequate lighting which can enhance economic activities in the harbour throughout all seasons. 

The efficiency and functionality level of the harbour will be increased as a result of the upgraded civil and electrical infrastructure works. 

Safety and security will be upgraded thus increasing confidence to attract private sector investment within the Harbours. 

Repairs to internal roads will ensure the safe conveyance of stock within the harbour.
 

This project is a prime example of the importance of infrastructure development to spur on economic activity and much needed job creation for our citizens. 

The removal of sunken vessels programme was been completed with a total of 29 vessels removed at various harbours, 15 of those vessels were removed at the Hout Bay Harbour.

DPWI grasped at the opportunity at the Hout Bay harbour removal of sunken vessels project which allowed 9 informal divers (many which were former poachers) including 1 woman being trained as Class 3 Commercial Divers to assist with the work for the Hout Bay Harbour removal of sunken vessels project. The removal of sunken vessels project in Hout Bay alone created a total of 110 jobs and empowered 11 SMMEs to the value of approximately R4,5 million.

The development of harbours will allow coastal communities access to the sea as well as an opportunity to grow the oceans economy in turn creating jobs and growing these coastal towns that were deprived of proper marine infrastructure for many years. This project has brought immense benefit in terms of job creation and now that the project has been completed, we hope it will increase investment and enable greater economic activity, for surrounding communities and the fishing industry value chain.

We are making a plea to all surrounding communities to see these upgraded harbours as their harbours and to work with the department to ensure the harbours are protected from vandalism and that this critical infrastructure benefits the broader community and to grow the oceans economy. 

 

Issued by Department of Public Works and Infrastructure